Instagram Spam: Scammers Target iPhone Hipsters

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The sepia-toned, washed-out and nostalgic world of Instagram has
begun to attract unwanted attention.

The
security firm Symantec reports that scammers have been
creeping their way into the social photo-sharing service, writing
below-photo posts claiming that Best Buy has partnered with
Instagram and is giving away free gift cards to a limited number
of winners.

The link posted along with the message takes Instagram users to
what appears to be Best Buy's photo feed, but those who pursue
the gift card offer a little further will end up on another Web
page that asks for their phone number to win the $100 prize.

The scam then tells victims they will "presented with optional
third party offers" that will get them closer to winning the
prize.

One of these third-party offers asks for your name and email
address, "which will more than likely be used for future spam,"
Symantec said.

It's no shock that scammers are targeting Instagram; anytime an
app or service seems to become indispensible, cybercriminals are
right there to try to cash in on it. Like Facebook, Twitter and
more recently the
"Draw Something" app, the wildly popular and mobile Instagram
is a perfect feeding ground for crooks.

The real payload in the Instagram scam is delivered right near
the end: After users finish all the offers, they are taken to a
final Web page that informs them that in order to fully enter the
contest, they must submit their cell phone number and subscribe
to a
mobile subscription service. The service will rack up their
monthly bill.

If you've made the mistake of handing over your cell phone number
to this or any other scam, make sure to check your phone bill and
see if there are any unwanted charges or subscriptions, and
cancel them. Just as you would on your computer, be skeptical of
unsolicited offers, even if they appear in your various social
networking feeds. Installing smartphone
anti-virus software can help keep your phone and your
wallet safe from sneaky social scams like this.